By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — If you're headed to the races, take your mask.
"Tuesday morning, the Reno County Health Department notified NCRA Productions that, to enter the grandstands during the 64th Annual Hutchinson Grand National Auto Races, they are going to require a mask to be worn," said spokesman Warren Hardy. "Once you are in the grandstand, the mask to be worn becomes optional."
You can keep social distancing in the stands within families, but that's not so at the entrance gate.
"The grandstand opens at 5 p.m. every day, hot laps at 6 and race time at 7," Hardy said.
Crowds typically are strong for the Grand National event.
"Thursday will be a slight crowd," Hardy said. "It's more of a local flavor than anything else. Friday and Saturday, we're expecting crowds around three to five thousand each night."
It's likely the largest event to be held in the Grandstand for some time to come, now that the 2020 Kansas State Fair has been cancelled.